Vengeance & Alliance
by XxCupcakeGurlxX
Summary: Ally starts to fall in love with Austin and he starts to feel the same way. But when, Nathan, the father of Austin's new friend, Tiffany, threatens to kill him all seems lost. So, the two must turn to Ally to help them escape from Nathan's awful grudge on Austin.
1. Different

Paste your docu

CHAPTER 1: Different

Ally's Point of View

It was an unusually hot day in Miami. The sun was blazing hot and there were more sunburned tourists entering the store than ever!

I couldn't help but scream in delight at all of the money I had just been given from a customer at Sonic Boom! Customers have been flocking to the store ever since Austin released his first album. His fame was giving Sonic Boom tons of good publicity.

"Could any of you guys come over here and help me out?" I called out to my friends as a swarm of costumers poured into Sonic Boom.

"I can't, I have to head back over to my job at the arcade. I got a text saying that someone broke one of the games and tickets are spilling out everywhere." Trish sighed. "I get to steal them and use them to get cool prizes!" Before I could say another word, she had already left the store.

"And I have to figure out how to get this hat off my head. Trish glued it on yesterday and now it's stuck." Dez complained as he tried to loosen the hat. "Here, let me try." I yanked at the hat with as much force as possible, which sent Dez spinning out the door.

I turned to the only person I knew that could help me out right now. He lay against the piano while staring at his feet. I knew something was on his mind.

"Austin, are you O.K?" I asked as he sighed, not wanting to look me in the eye. He seemed a little nervous to be alone with me right now.

"I'm fine." He said as he peered through strands of his hair to look at me. "Are you sure? Because you seem to be acting a little…" I looked up from the ground which I had been staring at, only to realize he was gone. "Different." I finished what I was going to say.

I thought about the summer we had spent apart from each other. He had gone to visit relatives in New York, and I had stayed here. I thought about all of the times we had laughed and talked with each other. And then, I started thinking something I immediately regretted: our friendship doesn't seem like enough.


	2. Important

Chapter 2: Important

Austin's Point of View

I didn't want Ally to see me right now. I ran as far as I could from Sonic Boom. I had made a mistake like this a few weeks after we met. There was no way I would ever do something like that again.

Ally couldn't know the truth. I knew she would never feel the same way as I did.

I spotted some weird guy standing near me. His head was covered by an enormous hat. "Dez, is that you?" I asked as the guy nodded his head.

"I can't see you right now but I can hear you breathing." Dez observed. "You sound like you're out of breath, dude." He added.

"Dez, can you do something for me?" I leaned in close to him so no one could hear what I was about to say. "Get Ally to meet me in the practice room. I've got to tell her something important." I whispered.

I had made up my mind. I knew exactly what I was going to tell Ally.

"Sure!" Dez agreed. "Can you get this hat off my head first?" He asked.

I pulled at the hat with all of my strength until it came off. Then, I put the hat in Dez's hands. "Let me go into the practice room first. Then, you can call her." I instructed as I headed in the direction of Sonic Boom.

Ally's Point of View

I had never seen Austin look as anxious and exhausted as he was now. If what he had to tell me was as important as Dez said it was, then I would be pleased.

For the first time ever, I didn't want him to see the look on my face. My face was a bright pink and my hands were clammy. My heart beat faster than a humming bird's wings and my mouth was as dry as the Sahara desert.

I felt shy around him right now. Normally, I would be acting this way if I saw Dallas.

Austin opened his mouth to speak. Not a sound came out. The practice room had never been so quiet.

I sat down on the piano bench and he sat beside me. I stared long and hard at the piano keys.

"Ally, I've wanted to tell you this for a long time." He began.

I tried not to break out into nervous laughter as he continued. I tried not to look into his eyes as he spoke. And I tried not to think about him. Those were the hardest things I have ever had to do.


	3. Truth

CHAPTER 3: Truth

Ally's Point of View

I turned my head slightly and I noticed that his lips were still moving.

I knew I would be risking our friendship if I looked up any further. I couldn't believe the thoughts that were circling in my head.

One word finally stood out in the darkness and shattered my thoughts: "Ally?" he had called my name.

"Um…yes?" I found it hard to speak to him, I was more nervous than ever. "Can you look up for a second? I need you to pay attention." Austin's voice sounded shakier than mine. When I didn't respond he reached out to hold my hand. I pulled away.

I slowly looked up into his eyes and I saw something that was never there before. His eyes seemed to be sparkling and his hair looked almost golden in the sunlight. Was he always like this, or had I only noticed this now?

Austin's Point of View

Everyone always says that the truth will set you free. If I told Ally what had happened over the summer, it would be less painful than keeping it bottled up inside of me.

"Remember that I told you I went to New York over the summer?" I asked her, even though I knew what her answer would be. "I remember. You went to stay at your relative's condo in Times Square." Ally recalled.

"When I went there I met this girl named Tiffany, her dad books the singers for the New Years Eve Ball. She really loved my music and promised to ask her dad if I could sing for them there." I told her.

Ally's Point of View

I felt a twinge of jealousy after Austin told me about Tiffany.

However, I still had a fake smile plastered on my face. This was important to Austin and I couldn't let my newfound feelings destroy it.

He was smiling too, he still seemed a bit worried and wasn't very good at disguising it.

"This is amazing news!" I was telling the truth.

"You can never tell anyone else about this." Austin added. He seemed dead serious. "Why can't I tell anyone?" I was becoming curious now. "Tiffany wanted to come here and tell you in person." He stumbled over the words.

I had the feeling that I wasn't being told the entire truth. But I knew that Austin would never keep a huge secret from me.

Austin was always the one to speak to speak his mind if something was wrong. If he was in trouble, he would come to me first. He would always be there for me through thick and thin. I had never met anyone more trustworthy than him.

Austin loved me as if I was his sister. And I loved him as if he was…I didn't have the nerve to finish my sentence.

I turned to leave the practice room. I had to shake off these new feelings.

"Wait, Ally." Austin pulled at my arm. I didn't want to face him again. I expected him to say something about Tiffany or New York, instead he hugged me.

I was too stunned to do or say anything more, all I did was leave the room.

Austin's Point of View

If I had told Ally what had really happened in New York I would have scared her. It was better if she didn't know the whole truth. She would be safer that way.

Tiffany had made me promise never to tell anyone what was in store for Ally. She had limited me and Ally's fate to only a few words: Ally was in great danger, and I was too.


	4. Conversations

CHAPTER 4: Conversations

(In the summer) Austin's Point of View

I held up the tiny Statue of Liberty replica that I planned to buy for Ally. The statue was made of crystals. If you held it up to the sun it would cast rainbows on the walls.

"Are you Austin Moon?" A girl chirped excitedly from behind me. "Yes I am, and who are you?" I asked as I turned around to see the girl's face.

She looked rather excited to see me. The same went for the rest of the fan girls I had met on my trip.

She was tall and had hair that could rival the prettiest girl in my grade. Her eyes seemed to sparkle brighter than the crystals.

"I'm Tiffany Thorn, by the way. My dad is Nathan Thorn. He books the singers that perform at the New Years Eve Balls." She introduced herself. "My dad loves your work by the way. If you're interested in playing at the party you could give him a call sometime." Tiffany ripped off a piece of paper from her sightseeing booklet and wrote down her dad's cell phone number. I took it from her and gave her my gratitude.

I wanted to get to know Tiffany before I emailed the news to Ally, Dez, and Trish.

Before I knew it, we were already knee-deep in conversation, and I had forgotten all about my friends back home.

I had even forgotten about the girl I had left back home in Miami. The one I had started to like.

The more time I spent with Tiffany, the more I started to like her. I spent time with her whenever I wasn't with my relatives, and we always had a ton of fun together.

I decided to surprise her by coming to her penthouse one day. I had never been allowed to come inside, before.

I knocked on the door a couple of times until Tiffany's balding dad, who looked as if he had been a pro-wrestler, opened the door.

"Hey Austin, please come in!" Tiffany's dad said in a gruff voice. "Hi, is Tiffany here?" I asked as I glanced around the large room. "No, but she'll be here in a few minutes. Feel free to explore the penthouse if you wish." He beamed in pride as I gasped in awe at the plasma screen T.V on the wall.

I knew that penthouses were fancy and that they were full of expensive things, but I never expected it to be anything like this!

I knew Dez would love this, so I used my phone to take videos of all of the cool stuff for him.

There was a T.V in every room and a pool table on the second floor. On the terrace, a huge pool complete with its own diving board seemed to be calling me to jump in. The cupboards were stacked with all of my favorite kinds of food, and more!

I noticed the jar of pickles in the fridge and my thoughts immediately turned to Ally. She would have loved the library, the pickles, and the pool too. Suddenly, an angry yell coming from the living room snapped me out of my thoughts.

I sneakily peered over the wall to see Tiffany's dad yelling at someone over the phone.

"We are not going to do the bank robbery tomorrow Kevin! It's going to happen today! Either you go set Frankie and the gang straight, or I will." He grumbled.

I hoped that what Nathan had said wasn't true. Did he really just say that he was going to rob a bank!? Everyone says that I have an over reactive imagination, though. So, there was no way that any of this was true.

A minute or two later, Tiffany walked into the penthouse. "Hi Austin, how are you?" She greeted me with a warm smile, but it wasn't warm enough to erase my fears. "Good, I guess. Can I talk to you over here for a minute?" I asked. "Of course you can." Tiffany didn't know me well enough to tell the difference between my real smile and my fake one.

We both took a seat on the reclining chairs. "I overheard your dad talking about robbing a bank." I swallowed hard. "You are hilarious!" Tiffany started laughing so hard tears spilled out of her eyes. "No, I'm serious. Check this out."

I skimmed through the video until I found the part when Nathan yelled at Kevin over the phone. As I played it for her, her mouth dropped open.

"I can't believe you would jump to such nasty conclusions like this!" Tiffany leaped up from the chair. "My dad works so hard everyday. He would never steal to get money!" Tiffany screeched as she tried to reach the phone. "Well, I'm turning this into the police anyway." I dialed 911 before she could snatch the phone out of my hands.

Tiffany kept trying to grab the phone as I reported the case to the dispatcher. Once the call had ended, Tiffany continued to yell at my "false accusations".

Once she figured out that I was right, she would be on her knees begging for forgiveness.

Everything from then on happened in a blur.

I remembered turning on the T.V and hearing about Nathan's alleged bail. I remember hearing Tiffany weep about not having a safe place to stay. And I remember Tiffany telling me the last words she heard her dad say, during a phone call with Kevin: "Austin Moon is going to pay, and by pay I mean…die."


	5. Mastermind

CHAPTER 5: Mastermind

Ally's Point of View

The lightening shot amidst the pitch black sky as the angry storm clouds gathered. Thunder rumbled somewhere far away and sheets of rain poured down on Miami.

I tossed and turned in my bed as I covered my ears to block out the sounds of the thunderstorm. It would be impossible for me to sleep with all of this noise.

If I didn't get enough sleep I would be too tired to start writing Austin's new song tomorrow.

A knock at the door startled me. I glanced at my alarm clock. It read 1:04 A.M. Who would be foolish enough to visit the house at this time?

I ran down the stairs and turned off the alarm. I peeked through the blinds and came face to face with Austin. I slowly unlocked the door so that I wouldn't awake my dad.

I stood out on the porch, filled with curiosity and a boatload of new questions. "Austin, you must be freezing. What are you doing out here this late at night?" As I said this a girl jumped out from behind Austin.

She had her hand rested on Austin's shoulder. This gesture made me green with envy.

"We need a place to hide. This is Tiffany Thorn, the girl I told you about." Austin didn't tease me about my motherly approach to the situation, and he usually did.

"Why don't you go home?" I asked trying not to come off as rude. "I picked up Tiffany from the airport. This is the closest place I could go to." He explained.

The confused expression on my face caused Austin to launch into a long explanation about all of this.

After he had told me everything that had happened in New York, I had no clue how to react.

"Why don't you tell the police about all of this?" I suggested, logically as I let them in. "My dad has too much money and power. He can control the government and the police." Tiffany answered. "We are hopeless unless if you can help us." Tiffany added.

Austin's Pont of View

Since the day I met Ally I knew she was clever and smart. There was no one else I trusted enough to help Tiffany and I solve this problem. I hoped that she would agree to follow through with it all.

Her mouth hung open and she seemed a bit overwhelmed by it all.

"Please Ally, please help us. There is no one else I trust more than you." I begged.

"O.K then, I'll help." Ally promised, agreeing to be the mastermind of our plan.

For a second, I thought I saw Ally blush at the compliment I had given her. I also thought that I saw the relief on Tiffany's face turn to hatred.


	6. Memories

CHAPTER 6: Memories

Austin's Point of View

I knew Tiffany wasn't as pleased with Ally's house as I was.

She made faces at the paintings on the walls and looked disgusted with the stained carpet.

According to the rich girl who had grown up in the lap of luxury, this house was a mess. According to me, it was the closest thing to my home that I could get.

Ally gracefully excused all of Tiffany's snide remarks. That was Ally for you, the kind of girl who never let someone take advantage of her.

I felt as if the smiles Ally had been giving me as I complimented her house were more than a friendly gesture.

Ally was just too kind. I had chosen the right person to hide me and Tiffany.

"This is where you are going to sleep, Tiffany." Ally pushed open the door that leads to the attic.

There were woven blankets, pillows, and an old couch surrounded by dozens of boxes.

"Sorry about the mess." Ally said. She looked a bit embarrassed. "That's fine." Tiffany waved us away. She didn't bother to ask any more questions.

"I guess she's feeling a little bit on edge." I apologized for Tiffany's behavior. "I hope she isn't planning to act that way all the time." Ally said dryly.

We tip-toed down the stairs until we came to the basement. Ally pushed open the door to reveal a small window, a cellar, some mattresses, and a couple of old toys.

A stuffed alligator with a missing eyeball caught my eye. Stuffing escaped from its arm and loose thread came out from its paw.

Ally walked over to me and sighed. "I named that alligator, Ally-gator." Ally smiled. "My mom gave it to me a month before…" She didn't finish her sentence.

Tears started spilling out of her eyes as she continued. "She gave me that a month before the car crash." She tried to sound brave, but I knew it was too hard for her.

She kneeled down beside me and I squeezed her arm. I let her rest her head on my shoulder as I brushed tear stained strands of hair out of her eyes.

"Things like this happen, Ally. The best thing you can do is move on." I gave her my best advice.

"I have. My dad still misses her. We used to sing songs together and go to the beach together. She used to be a brilliant song writer, just like me." Ally sobbed.

"Every time someone mentions her I break apart. I'm sorry Austin." I let her move away from me. "It's alright." I said.

There was a long moment of silence.

A ton of memories about Ally floated to mind. I thought about all of the fun times we had always had together. She's always so full of joy and was the smartest person I know.

I had doubted our friendship, once again.

Ally's Point of View

My mom and I had always spent a lot of time together. Mostly good and happy memories bobbed to the surface whenever I thought about her.

The car crash had happened so soon, after Sonic Boom first opened.

As I closed my eyes, I could imagine the way it used to look. New instruments hung from the walls and the smell of paint penetrated the room.

I was about 13-years-old, and running a store seemed like a fun task to me. My dad and I were equally excited about this. He couldn't wait to hand the store down to me someday.

My mom had been driving from our neighbor's house to Sonic Boom, on that same day. She tore her eyes away from the road for a second, and it ended in a disaster.

Now that I was here with Austin, the memories were the least of my worries. Austin always seemed to make all of the bad memories disappear.

There was just something special about him. He could light up the room with just his personality alone. People like him only come once in a lifetime. And some how, I got lucky enough to have him be a part of my life.


	7. Honesty

CHAPTER 7: Honesty

Austin's Point of View

It was almost 8:00 in the morning, by the time Ally had made pancakes and bacon for breakfast. We had made a ton of noise arguing over which type of pancakes were the best.

This had created a hilarious food fight between the two of us, and it had ended in giggles and a messed up kitchen.

We spent the next half hour cleaning up the kitchen and cracking up jokes whenever we could.

When the phone rang, that was what truly startled us. "Your parents are calling, what should I say?" Ally panicked as she put the phone call on hold. "Let me talk to them." I offered, not wanting to have them find out the truth and punish Ally as a result.

"Hello!" I said coolly. I expected to have an angry high-pitched voice yell at me over the phone, but instead, my mom sounded relieved. "Honey, you're alright! I was so worried about you." My mom sounded as if she wanted to come over to Ally's house and give me a big hug.

I started pacing the floor, thinking of a perfect explanation as to why I wasn't at home. I knew mom was going to ask for one.

"Ally and I are working on a song. I slept over at Dez's house, last night." I tried to make my lie sound believable. "You can not leave the house with out our consent, mister." She growled, that was the mom I knew.

"Come back as soon as you can, I don't want any excuses. Do you hear me?!" Her voice rose higher with every word. All I wanted to do was tell them the truth.

"I promise I'll be back tonight." We exchanged good-byes and the phone clicked shut.

Ally loved honesty as much as my parents did. I knew I had to return home before they realized I was making up excuses. That sounded like something Ally would do. She always stood strong to her character even when she was in trouble.

I watched her wipe globs of whipped cream out of her hair as she contemplated about what we should do next.

Ally's Point of View

As I gazed out the window, I noticed how well the light was shining on Austin's hair. It looked so pretty and golden that I couldn't help but wonder what he thought about me.

I was dorky Ally Dawson, the kind of girl who enjoyed doing homework and hated recess. I was also best friends with one of the most famous teenagers in the world: Austin Moon.

Sure, he put up with my babbling and the rest of my quirks, but did he really like me? It was a question I had to think long and hard about.

Austin's Point of View

Ally seemed to be gazing at me. I felt awkward standing near her. Yet, I still fought the urge to move.

Ally's strange gazing was a good conversation stopper; I hadn't heard her talk at all during breakfast.

While we were washing dishes, a sharp wailing sound erupted from the attic. "Tiffany! We have to see if she's hurt." I was prepared to run up the stairs, my friend was in danger and she needed help.

Ally shushed me and pointed at the ceiling. I heard creaking coming from the base boards in one of the rooms. The sound traveled down the hallway and finally started to make its decent down the stairs.

"It must be my dad! Austin, you have to hide." Ally commanded as I dove to the nearest hiding place, behind the sofa.

My heart beat so loud I was sure Mr. Dawson and Ally could hear it. If Mr. Dawson found me, the best way to escape was through honesty.


	8. Missing

CHAPTER 8: Missing

Ally's Point of View

I could hear the footsteps getting louder as my dad's face started to fall into view.

The shock of short hair and a large nose increased my fears, as I watched my dad walk down the winding staircase.

If Austin made the slightest sound his cover would be blown completely. The fate of our reputations rested on his shoulders.

"Hi Ally," Dad smiled at me as I mustered a smile. "Hey dad," I tried to sound cheerful.

"You made these pancakes for me?" He started to lick his lips hungrily as he grabbed a plate full of pancakes. "I hope you like them, I made a bunch." I smiled as I steered my dad away from the kitchen table. It was way too close to Austin's hiding place.

As usual, my dad was too occupied by his food to care about my odd actions. He didn't bother to start a conversation until his plate was empty.

"I'm going to head over to Garry's house. I might stay there for a while." He turned to leave.

Suddenly, a strange look on his face signified that he knew something was wrong. It sent chills down my spine.

"Why are there sneakers peeking out from the side of the sofa?" He asked as he gave me a befuddled look.

I watched as Austin shot me an apologetic glance and moved back a few inches. He looked more frightened than I felt.

Quickly, a plan formed in my mind. I wasn't sure it could fool my dad, but I had to try. This was my quickest escape route.

"Austin must have left them here the last time he came to our house. He kept rambling about a missing shoe the last time I talked to him." I lied. "That makes sense." My dad handed me the keys to Sonic Boom before I could say anything more.

"Trish's mom said she could drive you to Sonic Boom. I'll be there soon." He added as he left the house.

Austin slowly pulled his head out from behind the sofa. "Is he gone?" He whispered as I nodded. "At least he didn't find us. I never thought I would say this: but, thanks for lying." Austin added.

I hated lying, but I did it to protect Austin from getting punished. I lied for a good reason. But I still felt guilty for doing it.

"Speaking of lying, Tiffany has been lying in bed forever." Austin teased as we made our way up the stairs.

Austin's Point of View

As Ally pushed open the heavy door that lead to the attic, I started to call Tiffany's name.

I expected to find her nestled against Ally's blankets and pillows. Instead, there was nothing but Tiffany's cell phone.

Ally picked it up before I did, and the look on her face said it all.

"I've been hearing strange noises all throughout the night. I don't know what will happen to me. Even though I know they are after Austin, I still feel so scared. I wrote this text in case if any thing happens to me. I know they are watching me. Ally, let Austin know that I…" Ally's voice trailed off as she finished reading the text.

"Tell me what?! Tell me what?!" I leaped up and down waiting for her to continue. I was more excited than ever.

"That is all the text says. Tiffany never finished it. She's not here, that means that she could be,"

I didn't even want to hear Ally finish her sentence. I had a feeling I know what she was about to say.


	9. Tracing

CHAPTER 9: Tracing

Ally's Point of View

The light broke through the stained glass window on the wall in the hallway. Even though it seemed like a pleasant day, the mood of the attic was less than welcoming.

Austin's jaw fell open and it wouldn't close. He was shocked and confused too.

"Why would they do something like that to her?" He yelled. "They are after me, not Tiffany! Why does she have to suffer?" Austin was outraged.

I tried to console him the way he would do for me, but my love for Austin kept holding me back. Why should I comfort him over the loss of his precious Tiffany? What makes her so important?

"I don't know, but we have to find someone that can help us. It's too dangerous of a job to do alone." I pressed.

Austin started pacing through the hallway. He didn't look as worried as before. Maybe, I had advised him well.

I kept my jealousy aside and focused on the problem. I couldn't figure out a way to find Tiffany. There were a million places her dad could be hiding her.

The screeching sound of tires on gravel alarmed Austin and I. As I watched a short boldly dressed woman step out of a small vehicle.

Then, Austin said something brilliant.

"Tiffany probably has my cell phone too. I gave it to her when her plane landed at the airport. She wanted to use it while she charged her own phone." His shoulders slumped as he searched through his pockets for the cell phone. "Austin! Trish's mom is great with gadgets; she could trace your phone's location. Then, we could figure out where Tiffany is." I beamed.

"That is a great idea! But, she's going to ask a ton of questions about it." Austin pointed out. "Watch and learn." I smirked as the door bell rang.

Austin's Point of View

Trish's mom grinned at Ally and me as we stepped into her tiny car. I couldn't imagine how Ally was used to sitting in such a tiny vehicle.

"Lester never told me that you would be here too." She buckled her seatbelt and adjusted the mirrors as we pulled out of the driveway.

Ally distracted her with a question: "Austin lost his phone, would you be able to help us find it?" Surprisingly, Trish's mom agreed and didn't ask any further questions.

Once Trish's mom dropped us off in the mall parking lot, we all jumped out of the cramped car. It had been a long and uncomfortable drive, considering I had been squished against the window the entire time.

"I'll check and see if I can find the phone." She waved at the two of us as she pulled out of the parking lot.

"I'll call you if I find it." She added as she pointed at Ally.

We started walking to Sonic Boom together. "Ally, wasn't that car a little," "cramped? No, I'm used to it. I've been a passenger in that car for years." Ally interrupted.

As we walked into Sonic Boom, Ally went upstairs to find the brooms and dust pan. She always furnished the store before opening it to the public.

I took the cloth out from behind the counter and began cleaning the instruments.

Suddenly, I heard my phone's ring tone blaring from behind the staircase. Hesitantly, I picked it up and checked the caller ID. It was a private number and I didn't recognize the phone number either. Hoping that it was Tiffany, I answered the phone call.

"Hello." My voice was expressionless but the voice on the other end of the phone sounded shaky and scared."Austin, it's me, it's Tiffany. I'm calling from my dad's phone." She yelped. "I'm so glad I found you, Ally and I are searching for you." I reported everything that had happened since this morning.

"You can't, if you come here my dad will find you. I'm pretty sure that this is a trap to lure you here." Tiffany whispered as if she didn't want anyone else but me to hear what she was saying.

"I don't want him to kill you. I'll escape on my own, but please don't try to find me." Tiffany pleaded.

I still wanted to rescue Tiffany. She was my best friend, and she was in the hands of an evil man.

What I had learned about Tiffany was that: she was the last person you would ever expect to be of help during a crisis. She would probably have no luck escaping.

There was a crackling sound on the other end of the phone and the line went dead.

I tried dialing the phone again but no one answered my calls.

Ally walked up behind me carrying the brooms and a large dust pan. I knew from the look on her face, she was about to ask me who I had been talking to.

"Tiffany called me. Someone put my phone behind the stairs, by the way. I don't know who did it." I ranted about my phone.

"What did Tiffany say?" She asked. I watched her eyes grow wide as I told her everything Tiffany had told me.

Ally swallowed hard as she took all of this in. It could be possible that this was all a trap. But I knew we still had to find Tiffany.

Ally pulled her phone out of her pocket as soon as it started to ring.

She spoke to Trish's mom for a while and I tried to hear what they were saying, but Ally guarded the phone from me.

"Thanks Mrs. Del a Rosa, good-bye." Ally chimed as she ended the phone call.

"I have some good news and some bad news about the phone tracing expedition." She began as I prepared myself for the new obstacles that we were about to face.


	10. Curiosity

CHAPTER 10: Curiosity

Ally's Point of View

I was always the type of person who asked questions no one else could answer. Curiosity was one of the many characteristics I carried with me wherever I went.

Now, I had to be the person with all of the answers.

I needed to prove to Austin that I could be as witty as everyone says I am. He was counting on me, and I couldn't let him down.

After what Mrs. Del a Rosa had told me, I wasn't sure what would become of Austin and Tiffany.

"The good news is that: Trish's mom found out that the phone is in a warehouse in the mall." I reported.

"But, that's impossible. The phone is right here." A confused look crossed his face as he held up his cell phone.

I remembered Austin had said something about a cell phone earlier, but my thoughts had been focused on Tiffany's phone call when that had happened.

"Someone probably moved the phone. Trish's mom called me a couple of minutes after she found the phone's location. It would have given someone time to move the phone to a new place." I smiled at my new-found discovery.

"That means the person who put the phone behind the stairs could still be here!" Austin shuddered as he took a couple of steps back.

"We can split up and search the store." I directed.

"Wait a second, Austin…" I began to tell him the bad news but he had disappeared again.

Austin's Point of View

I turned my head around every time I heard the floor boards creak or the sound of Ally opening a door.

A malicious killer could be lurking somewhere in Sonic Boom, waiting to kill me or lure me into a trap.

_Thump! Thump! Thump! _My heart beat as loud as a drum.

I wished Tiffany was here, I wanted to talk with her one last time.

Curiosity washed over me as I walked into the practice room.

How close was I to the danger? Would I be able to escape? Will Tiffany be alright?

Suddenly, I realized something terrifying.

I should be able to hear the sound of Ally's soft footsteps echoing from downstairs. But the sound of heavy boots scuttling across the floor was all I could hear.


	11. Fate

CHAPTER 11: Fate

Austin's Point of View

I could barely breathe. My hands shook and my feet were planted to the ground.

I wanted to turn and run, but I knew that being a coward wasn't an option.

The sound of footsteps tip-toeing up the metal staircase didn't alarm me as much.

Ally froze as soon as she saw me standing there. Whatever was behind me had terrified her.

"Run!" I commanded. My voice was barely audible.

Instead of running downstairs, Ally tried to pull me away from the danger.

I glanced behind my shoulder and peered at the tall and muscular man wielding a sharp butcher's knife. His face was hidden behind a mask that was as dark as night.

"Run! Ally, you have to save yourself!" I repeated, but Ally didn't leave me.

"Why aren't you leaving?" I whispered as I pulled her close to me.

"I don't want my best friend in the whole world to be killed." Her eyes were filled with sincerity and a hint of admiration towards me.

My response to Ally's sweet and touching words was drowned out by the man's deep voice: "If it isn't Austin Moon, the very man who almost sent me to the gallows."

"Of course it's me!" I had enough confidence to say those words.

"Since you are the real Austin, I guess you truly deserve everything you are going to get!" The man gave a grizzly cackle.

He pointed the knife in my direction. As a result, I turned away and closed my eyes tight as Ally gripped onto my arm.

I slowly opened my eyes and looked at Ally. Tears were welling in her eyes the way they had the night before.

"Don't cry." I said as she hugged me.

I directed my thoughts towards Tiffany again. We had hugged each other plenty of times over the summer. But I had never felt a spark between the two of us the way I did with Ally.

The man rolled his eyes and hurtled the knife at my heart.

I jumped to ruin his aim, and he missed me completely.

However; the knife had landed right in the middle of Ally's right arm.

Ally's Point of View

"How are you feeling?" My dad asked for the fifth time since we stepped into the car.

Austin inspected my arm and gave me some tissues to wipe away the gushes of blood.

"Well, the stinging has gone down." I replied solemnly. I didn't want to do much talking.

"It's entirely my fault. I should have given you my full attention during that cooking session." Austin sighed heavily.

His latest fib consisted of a knife, a cooking tutorial, and total clueless ness.

"Your entire fate is in my hands now." He added.

Austin's eyes sparkled as he said these words. I knew that he will do everything that is possible to protect me from further harm.

I smiled at him and he smiled back at me.

It felt as if his smile had erased some of my pain. The pain in my arm, and the pain in my heart that I have been feeling for as long as I can remember.


	12. Destiny

CHAPTER 12: Destiny

Austin's Point of View

As the car slowed to a stop at the hospital parking lot, I checked on Ally to see if she needed anything.

"All I need is for the pain to disappear." She sighed heavily as her dad opened the car door for us.

"You are going to be perfectly fine, Ally. The doctors are going to stitch your arm back together and you will be as good as new." I promised.

Ally's dad and I helped Ally exit the car and guided her into the hospital.

While Ally's dad talked to the receptionist, Ally pulled me aside.

"I still don't know Austin. What if there is something really wrong?" She frowned.

I couldn't help but grin at her silly comment. "You are starting to sound just like me."

We stayed in the waiting room and sat on a sofa far away from Ally's dad.

"The man escaped through the window as soon as the knife hit your arm. How are we going to track him down now?" I questioned.

My cell phone beeped alive with a text from Tiffany and I read it aloud to Ally: "I stole my dad's phone when he wasn't looking. One of his men tried to break into Sonic Boom a few hours ago. Did you run into him? I heard a conversation between my dad and one of his men. They are keeping a secret from me, I can feel it. It has something to do with the MiamiHospital and some old birth certificates. You need to find them!"

"Ally Dawson, are you in here?" A nurse called as she pocked her head into the room.

"I'm here!" Ally answered as she rose from the sofa and went into another room with her dad.

I gave her a thumbs-up as they left and she returned the gesture with a smile.

I quickly dashed out of the quiet waiting room and ran to the elevators. I scanned the elevator directory until I found what wing the old birth certificates were in.

I pressed one of the small round buttons and the glass elevator roared to life.

As the large doors whizzed open, I glanced down the hallway to make sure I was on the correct floor. Then, I walked up and down the hallways searching for the room with old files.

A heavy wooden door marked: Birth Certificates DO NOT ENTER, caught my eye.

I pulled the door open to reveal dusty filing cabinets and round wooden tables.

The filing cabinets were marked in alphabetical order and the tables were cluttered with paper work.

On one of the tables, a mug filled to the rim with coffee sat all alone.

Steam erupted out of the coffee, which meant someone had placed it here only a minute ago.

I had to find the certificates before the owner of the coffee mug came back to retrieve it.

I searched for my birth certificate first. There didn't seem to be anything unusual written on it.

Next, I searched for Tiffany's birth certificate.

Her date of birth was printed nice and neat, it was the same date as Ally's birth.

Tiffany had convinced me that it was nothing more than a sheer coincidence.

Back then, I would have believed her. But, now I wasn't quite sure.

I stared long and hard at Tiffany's full name. I couldn't believe what I was reading!

In pretty bold letters it read: Tiffany Elizabeth Dawson. It should say: Tiffany Elizabeth Thorn.

As fast as possible, I dug my fingers into the sea of birth certificates.

I pulled out another twenty documents that all contained Tiffany's first name.

None of the birth dates matched the one Tiffany had given me over the summer.

The only one that did belonged to Tiffany Dawson.

Tiffany had told me that she was born at this exact hospital, so it wasn't possible that her birth certificate wasn't here.

I went over the certificates once again. I had to be staring at someone else's birth certificate, right?

I opened a cabinet labeled: Files, and began to search for Tiffany's file.

The words were almost completely faded away. I had to squint in order to make out a couple of words.

One simple phrase stood out the most: Ally Marie Dawson's twin sister.

On the very bottom of the document a red stamp that said: ADOPTED, marked the first page.

How could Tiffany be Ally's twin? And why didn't Tiffany mention anything about her being adopted? Was this someone else's document?

These questions floated to my mind.

If Tiffany really was related to Ally they would have similar facial features. Tiffany would also behave a lot like one of the Dawson's.

This could be Ally and Tiffany's destiny. They could finally learn the truth about one another.

Or…I could have leaded the Dawson family down a dangerous path.

**Author's Note: What's up, fans? I appreciate your ongoing support and appreciation for my stories. A special thanks goes to queenc1, LoveShipper, and abiecat!**


	13. Know

CHAPTER 13: Know

Ally's Point of View

I had wished for many years that I would have a sister.

Ever since I was six, I had started to envy my classmates that had siblings that lived with them.

I had lived in a small apartment until I was four.

Back then, my dad and my mom had been failing to bring home a decent amount of money.

Sonic Boom was the store that brought us out of our misery and brought me closer to music.

My dad had planned out the store and my mom and I had designed it from top to bottom.

We have and always will be a perfect family, even if it is only my dad and I now.

"I never knew I had a sister. Let alone a twin." I struggled to comprehend everything Austin had told me.

It was too good to be true!

I glanced down at the stitches on my arm for only a split second.

"Do you know who my twin is?" I asked as my eyes grew wide and I patiently waited for the answer.

"It's Tiffany Thorn." His expression was blank.

I felt guilt and disdain as he spoke Tiffany's name.

I had hidden my true feelings from Austin, but the expressions of jealousy on my face were easy to read.

"My parents have told me for years that they went bankrupt the year I was born. They probably couldn't afford to care for more than one baby. They most likely put Tiffany up for adoption." I explained.

I have never had conversations about the Dawson's past hardships in life. So, I was glad that Austin wasn't being the criticizing type.

"I can't believe that Tiffany is my sister. We are nothing alike!" I was still shocked about this scandal.

"Maybe, if you really got to know her you could find some similarities." Austin suggested.

"You have spent tons of time with her, why don't you tell me some things about her?" I was begging to learn more about my alleged sister.

"Her favorite color is purple. She loves giraffes, penguins, and cupcakes. Also, she is scared of bugs." Austin named the things that Tiffany liked with such flourish that a new question formed in my mind.

"What about me? Do you know anything about me?" I tried not to make myself sound standoffish.

"What don't I know?! You love pickles. You read and write all the time. You have stage fright and you get nervous easily. You worry way too much! You hate when people say library incorrectly. You hate the sound that Styrofoam makes when you rub it together. Nothing makes you angrier than when someone is chewing food and talking at the same time." All of these attributes were things that Austin knew by heart!

He recited everything that he knew about me and I hid my blushes.

Austin was sweet enough to have all of these qualities memorized!

"You love pancakes, LeBron James, cheerleaders, and basket ball. You are always confident, cool, and collected. You love horror movies especially those creepy Zaliens movies. Nothing makes you more excited than when you are playing in front of a crowd. Also, you love the beach." These were things I knew clearly and they assisted me whenever I wrote one of Austin's songs.

We began to laugh loud and strong.

"Austin, you actually have made a really big affect in my life." I smiled at him.

"I have more fun doing social things and I am starting to see the fun side of life." I thanked him.

I hugged him again.

Then, I remembered that he had almost been lost to me forever if that knife had cut into him.

I stared down at my stitches again as I traced them over with my finger.

I had exchanged hugs and sweet comments with Austin many times before. Why couldn't I tell him how I really felt?

I was about to tell him what I had wanted so desperately to say, but something stopped me.

It was my twin sister.

Tiffany had spent most of the summer with Austin and there seemed to be a growing respect between the two of them. They could be falling for each other at this very moment, why should I even bother to intervene with their feelings?

I pulled Austin closer to me and he hugged me tighter.

I longed to tell him that I loved him and that I wanted him to love me as well.

I slowly put my arms around Austin's neck and he smiled brighter at me.

But, that was when I did the unthinkable…I kissed him.


	14. Secrets

CHAPTER 14: Secrets

Ally's Point of View

I never knew that it would come to this moment. But, I always knew that something like this might intercept our friendship.

At this point, I didn't have a clue what to expect anymore.

I could have created a catastrophe by this simple gesture or I could have leaded our relationship into the right direction.

I had every reason to be afraid of what would happen next.

Disaster could strike at any moment and my dreams could be shattered.

It all depended on what Austin would say. His opinion in this situation mattered more than mine did.

Austin's Point of View

Ally was never straightforward and didn't get straight to the point. That was never her style of doing things when it came to relationships.

"That was crazy! I can't believe I just kissed you, I am so sorry." Ally spoke in a rushed tone as if she was hurrying to explain herself all at once.

"I didn't even think for a second that you liked me as more than a friend." I had finally come up with a conclusion as to why Ally has been acting different lately.

The blushing, the endless amounts of smiles, and the thoughtful compliments had an explanation.

Ally liked me and she had been trying to keep it a secret.

It was almost insane that I felt the same way.

Tiffany was nothing more than a friend to me.

But, if you had spent as much time with Ally as I have, you would feel the same way.

Ally's Point of View

I was dying to know if the feeling was mutual.

"Look, Ally," Austin began. It was difficult for him to find the right words to say.

"I love you too." He said and I couldn't help but feel joyful and excited.

Suddenly, I realized that he could have meant something else.

Did he love me like a best friend? Or, did he love me like a sister?

The suspense was ruining my happiness.

"You mean that you love me like a sister?" I made it clear that I was a bit disappointed.

"Nope, I love you more than that." Austin shook his head.

"Oh, you mean that you love me like a friend?" I sighed.

"Not even close. Ally, think harder." He directed.

"A best friend, is that correct?" I pondered.

"Well, if I was your best friend, could I do this?" Austin smirked as he kissed me.

I had been waiting for that for a long time.

Little did we know someone was watching us, and this particular person did not like what she saw.


	15. Perfect

CHAPTER 15: Perfect

Ally's Point of View

My dad, Austin, and I all buckled our seatbelts before the drive to Austin's house began.

I stared out the window at the chilly evening sky.

The sky was a perfect shade of midnight blue and there were dozens of twinkling stars.

I bit my lower lip as I glanced at Austin. He was mumbling lyrics to a song that was playing on the radio.

He seemed distant and a bit overwhelmed by the frightening past events.

I wanted to be able to tell him everything that was on my mind. I knew that keeping it all locked inside of me was no help at all.

As we pulled into the drive way, my dad opened the door for Austin. He nodded thanks to my dad and went around to the other side of the car.

He opened the door for me and leaned close to my ear.

"Would you like to go on a date with me tomorrow?" Austin grinned eagerly as if he was sure I would accept the invitation.

"Yes, I would." I smiled at him as he hugged me for the last time today.

Austin waved to me as he descended into his house.

I guaranteed that he was about to tell his parents a lie that he had conjured up. It helped to stop the flow of questions they would have about his long absence.

I closed the door and buckled my seat belt before the car sped off once again.

"What did he say?" My dad asked in a nosy yet loving way.

"I have my first date tomorrow." I whispered.

A look of happiness spread across my face and a look of worry spread across the face of my overprotective dad.

Austin's Point of View

I had gone through many preparations to make sure that the date went by smoothly.

I had made reservations at the PastaPalace, which was Ally's favorite Italian eatery.

My dad had granted me permission to borrow his best tuxedo and my mom had talked to me for hours about how I should behave on my date.

Once I showed up at Ally's house, she had already finished dressing herself.

Ally was wearing just enough make up and her hair was tied back. Also, her bright turquoise dress appeared to be perfect on her.

Ally wasn't overdressed unlike the other girls I have dated in the past.

"Hi Austin, how are you?" She grinned sheepishly.

I could tell by her nervous attitude that this was her first date. I wanted to make sure she enjoyed herself and that she felt comfortable around me.

"I'm fine. You are going to love what I have planned for you tonight." I promised as I held her by the hand and spun her around.

"Come on, Ally." I pulled Ally over to the front door and we pulled on our shoes.

I couldn't help but smile when I noticed that she was wearing her lucky running shoes on our date.

"You don't like them?" Ally frowned as she noticed my smile.

"No, I think it's adorable." I said thoughtfully.

Mr. Dawson drove us to PastaPalace quicker than I had expected.

"Be home by curfew." He called to us as he tapped his wrist watch.

"We will!" Ally called as Mr. Dawson began to drive back to his home.

The service was speedy and we were seated at a table in no time at all.

I did gentleman-like things for Ally all throughout the night. Such as, complimenting her dress and letting her wear my jacket if she was cold.

We chatted and devoured the food very slowly.

I kept Ally laughing and she cracked up a few jokes of her own.

I began to notice how incredible Ally was.

She brought out my sweet and sensitive side.

When I had first met her, I had thought that she was nothing more than my partner. But, my feelings have changed a lot since then.

Overall, the date went by even better than I had planned.

Ally's Point of View

Austin couldn't have been sweeter during our dinner at PastaPalace.

It had been the best date ever and I hoped to go on more dates with Austin.

I had to admit that I had felt shy at first, but Austin made me feel good about myself.

He accepted all of my quirks and cared more about my feelings than his own.

According to me, Austin Moon was perfect.

It had been an hour since we finished dinner and my dad still hasn't come to pick us up yet.

"My dad still hasn't come yet." I said as I tried to call my dad for the third time.

"Don't worry, he'll be here soon." I fanned away Ally's worried comment.

I closed my cell phone and placed it back in my purse. "You are right, Austin. He's probably going to come any second now." I agreed.

I fiddled with my purse for a little while wondering why my dad hadn't come yet.

"I'm going to the washroom, just wait here. And answer my phone if my dad calls back." I tossed Austin the phone and went to washroom.

After I returned, I noticed that my phone was still lying on the table.

I checked to see if there were any new phone calls from dad before I began to search for Austin.

"Austin? Austin! Where are you, Austin?!" I called as I searched through the restaurant.

I gathered my phone and my purse before I ran outside.

He had to be here somewhere.

The parking lot was empty, except for one or two cars.

My dad's car wasn't waiting in the parking lot and Austin was no where to be found.

I ran inside of the restaurant searching for him and calling his name.

I began to panic and my heart began to race.

Something didn't feel right.

"Austin! Austin! Where are you?!" I screamed as I ran out of PastaPalace.

I ran to the back lot of the restaurant.

My hands were clammy and my stomach didn't feel good.

I knew something was wrong.

I pushed over a few lopsided garbage cans and a couple of empty to- go containers to clear a path for myself.

"Austin? Austin?" I was running out of breath.

I kneeled on the hard concrete and pushed over a fallen garbage can to reveal a boy.

He was a blond fifteen- year-old and was wearing a tuxedo.

And, I was wearing his tuxedo jacket.

I got to my feet and stood back in horror at what I saw before me.

Austin was lying on the ground and there were streaks of blood on his clothes and his face.

The scene was enough to make me cry.

"Oh Austin, I can't believe Nathan found you." I wept as I knelt down in front of him.

I searched for the murder weapon, but I found nothing.

Next, I searched for Austin's heartbeat and I found nothing.

I cried as I sang 'Heartbeat' to Austin.

I could never love anyone as much as I've loved him.


	16. Real

CHAPTER 16: Real

Ally's Point of View

My hands started to tremble as I examined the blood and Austin's face.

He looked as cold as stone and his eyes seemed almost unreal. As if they were nothing more than two marbles and the blood was strawberry jam.

I felt embarrassed for crying and leaping to conclusions.

I peered closer at who I had thought was Austin Moon.

It was nothing more than a manikin and the blood was a mixture of corn syrup and strawberry jam.

"Where is the real Austin?" I thought aloud.

I stood up and backed away from the manikin as quickly as possible.

I swallowed hard and frantically glanced around every corner. I felt as if someone was watching my every move.

"I'm not afraid of you!" I sounded more timid than brave as I backed away from the PastaPalace.

"You hear me! I am not afraid of you!" I yelled into the darkness.

I took a couple of steps back and I could hear another chorus of footsteps following me.

I walked backwards and the sound of footsteps drew closer.

I slowly took a step back and I tripped over something.

Next thing I knew, I had lost control of my balance and someone generously caught me.

"Thanks…" I expected to see Austin standing behind me.

Instead, a pair of gloved hands reached out and grasped my arms.

"Give me your purse and your cell phone and you are free to go." I turned to face the man that had tried to corner Austin in Sonic Boom the other day.

I tried to scream for help but the man covered my mouth with one of his hands.

"I said, give me your purse and your cell phone and you are free to go!" The unrecognizable voice snapped rudely as he moved his hand away from my mouth.

He was confident that I wouldn't scream.

I released my clutch on my purse.

It was empty except for a few sticks of gum. I had used my money to pay for half of the dinner.

I hid my phone in between my hands as the man reached out to catch the purse with his free hand.

"Nice try, where is the phone?!" He screamed in my face as he twisted my arms.

"It's right here." I reluctantly gave him my phone and he violently dropped me onto the ground and ran off in the opposite direction.

He only wanted my phone because; he didn't want me to report to the police that Austin was missing.

At least, that was what I thought.

I inspected my arms. They were red from being held so tightly.

I entered the PastaPalace again and went up and down the wide restaurant.

I found some change on the floor and gathered it in my hands.

Then, I dashed over to the pay phone and called my dad.

"Hi Ally, are you enjoying your date? I had some car trouble, I'm sorry that I'm late picking you up. But, I'm in the car right now." Dad apologized.

"I have a huge problem!" I yelled into the phone.

I was relieved that my dad had returned my calls, but I was exasperated that I couldn't find Austin.

"What's wrong, honey?" Dad sounded worried.

"I went to the washroom and when I came back Austin was gone! I can't find him anywhere!" I explained.

I hadn't told him the parts about the manikin and the man that made me give up my phone and purse.

"Don't panic! Stay right where you are, I'm coming." Dad hung up the phone before I could say anything else.

"Austin, where are you?" I sighed as I sank down to the floor and hung up the phone.

Suddenly, a waiter arrived in front of me.

"Miss, we will be closing in a few minutes. I'm sorry but you are going to have to leave." The waiter was about to dismiss me, but he noticed that my face was streaked with tears.

"Miss, are you alright?" This time he sounded more sympathetic as he helped me to my feet.

"No, my boyfriend is no where to be found." I smoothed the wrinkles on my dress.

"The boy you were with earlier?" He asked curiously.

All I could do was nod.

"I saw him walk out of the restaurant with a tall and muscular man. I never saw the man's face, though." He reported what he had seen.

My jaw dropped open. Nathan had taken Austin out of the restaurant while I had been in the washroom.

"Thank you!" I called to the waiter as I ran over to the parking lot.

I had to find the real Austin.


	17. Exposure

CHAPTER 17: Exposure

Austin's Point of View

I looked up from the floor and stared straight ahead at Nathan and his men.

They were busy contemplating what they planned to do with me.

I slowly stuck my head out of the open window. It was too small for me to climb through.

The men had tied me up with thick nylon rope and Nathan had tied a handkerchief over my mouth.

I glanced out of the window to see a tiny brunette running towards the parking lot.

I looked harder and realized that it was Ally.

I felt so glad that she was here. She would be able to rescue me.

"Ally, come here!" I yelled as hard as I could, but everything I said sounded mumbled.

A genuine smile spread across Ally's face as soon as she saw me.

"I'm going to get you out." Ally snuck up to the car and tried to pry the handkerchief off of my mouth.

It wouldn't loosen.

I heard a cackle coming from one of the men in the front of the van.

"Alright, the trunk is unlocked. I'll open it and pull you out." Ally looked as if she was absolutely sure her plan would work.

Swiftly, she opened the trunk of the van and cautiously crawled towards me.

Carefully, she glanced from side to side to make sure that none of the men saw us.

I grasped Ally's hands and she tried her hardest to pull me out.

The familiar honk of a car horn and the sound of footsteps running across the asphalt sounded in the distance.

"Hurry, your dad is here." I whispered as I glanced at Mr. Dawson who happened to be very close to us.

Ally managed to collect all of her strength and used it to pull me out of the noisy van.

"Thanks." I mumbled.

"What are you two doing?" A strict and slightly confused Mr. Dawson asked us.

Ally's Point of View

I stared at Austin hoping that he had created a lie that could fool my dad.

I had created tons of little white lies to protect my dad from finding out secrets. However; I hadn't suspected that they would spiral this far out of control.

The real truth wasn't the least bit as close to the lies Austin and I have been telling lately.

We were ridiculously exposed at this very moment.


	18. Believe

CHAPTER 18: Believe

Ally's Point of View

My dad had never appeared to be this furious with Austin and me before.

His face had turned a shade of bright red and his eyes were narrowed on us.

"Can you tell me what is going on over here?" He yelled.

I opened my mouth and waited for an explanation to come to me.

I hated to see my dad this upset. He deserved to know what was really going on.

Even if it would send our relationship up in flames, we still had to tell him the truth.

I sighed and nodded towards Austin to make sure he understood what I was about to do.

We prepared for the confusion and questions to rain down on us as we told my dad everything that had happened these last few days.

Austin's Point of View

I stood in complete silence after Ally explained everything.

"How am I supposed to believe you?" Mr. Dawson stared at us in utter disbelief.

"I'll call Tiffany and she can tell you her side of the story." I started to dial the number Tiffany had called me from.

I could see that Ally was crossing her fingers and praying that Tiffany would answer our calls.

No one would pick up the phone.

Then, I invented a fantastic plan!

I grinned at Ally and she gave me one of her worried looks. I knew that she wanted to come clean to her dad, but lying was the only thing that could help us at this moment.

I carefully laid out the plan word for word, and I made sure that Mr. Dawson couldn't hear me.

After I had explained the plan, Ally reluctantly pulled her phone out of her pocket and dialed my phone.

She hid behind some foliage in front of PastaPalace and waited for me to answer.

"Oh, you want to talk to Mr. Dawson? Please hold, Tiffany." I gave the phone to Mr. Dawson and he gradually accepted it.

"Hello, Tiffany." He squawked.

"Everything that Ally told you was true. Please, believe every word of it." Ally begged as she did her best impression of Tiffany.

"Sorry, but I can tell the difference between a New York accent and my daughter's bad impression. Plus, I can read the caller ID." Mr. Dawson stole a glance at Ally as he closed my phone.

"We did try to fool you using my phony New York accent." Ally emerged from the bushes holding her hands up in surrender.

"However; Tiffany and I really are in danger. Ally wasn't making any of that stuff up." I explained.

"But I still can't believe that you haven't told anyone else about this yet. Someone has to know." Ally's dad complained.

Ally glanced at her father and then she glanced at me. She looked as if she was trying to choose a side.

"Yeah, Austin." She muttered under her breath as she went to stand beside her dad.

"We have been keeping this secret for a while. I think we should tell the police." Ally added.

I didn't know what else to say. It would be tough to fight Nathan's money and power. But, I had to do this. Nathan must be stopped!


	19. Spying

CHAPTER 19: Spying

Ally's Point of View

I had consecutive nightmares that kept me from falling asleep.

Horrifying images of the van, Austin, and Tiffany floated to the surface of my mind every time I closed my eyes.

Nathan had found Austin. He was one step closer to getting his revenge.

I shuddered at the thought of watching one of Nathan's men kill Austin. It was enough to petrify me.

I rubbed my sleepy eyes and turned the light on.

The light revealed a tiny window, a couple of dressers, a full length mirror, and a messy canopy bed.

I advanced towards the window and took in all of my surroundings.

There were rows of small houses on either side of the street. None of their lights were on.

Scrawny trees were planted on the property and our car was in the dusty garage.

The sky was a deep shade of midnight blue and a full moon shone bright among the stars. This was the only appealing view from my bedroom window.

I smiled to myself as my thoughts drifted to Austin for the thousandth time tonight.

Austin meant everything to me. He always put a smile on my face and helped me whenever I needed it. He was always so sweet and kind. Even though everyone thought that he was quirky, I thought that he was absolutely adorable.

I turned my attention away from the night sky the second I started to blush. However; a smile still stretched across my face.

Before I drew the curtains closed and shut the window, a figure walked onto our lawn.

I squinted through the darkness trying to identify the stranger.

All I could make out was bright red hair.

The figure, that seemed to be spying on me, walked to the door and rang the doorbell.

Who could this mysterious person be?


	20. Assumptions

CHAPTER 20: Assumptions

Ally's Point of View

I peered through the blinds that hung from the old door waiting for the stranger to leave.

When the figure didn't move I fetched the phone from the kitchen, incase if I needed to make an emergency call.

The figure watched me for a while before ringing the doorbell again.

It was too dark for me to identify anything more than the slender finger that had pressed the doorbell.

Armed with nothing more than a phone and my voice, I unlocked the door.

The strange girl that stood before me appeared to be vaguely familiar.

She had straight red hair, bangs, and bright blue eyes.

"I've been looking everywhere for you!" She took off her jacket and shoes and made herself comfortable on the sofa.

I was too stunned to argue with the girl's rude behavior. We had met only a moment ago and she was already treating herself like a guest. I barely knew who she was!

Comprehending the confused expression on my face, the girl introduced herself.

"Ally Dawson, I am Cassidy Grace." She replied with a sweet smile.

It took me a while to remember Cassidy.

Austin had fallen in love with her the second he had seen her. In order for them to go on a date, I had to write a song for Austin to sing to Cassidy. It won her over. However; Cassidy had plans to move to L.A, so the date had to be cancelled.

I had felt a bitter sweet mix of emotions while I wrote the song for Cassidy.

I had created good assumptions about this girl.

Yet at the same time, I had been contemplating my feelings for Austin. It pained me to see him smitten with another girl.

"I know who you are." Those were the only words I could utter to her. I was still trying to recover from the memories.

"I was in the neighborhood, because my parents and I were visiting relatives. I read in the newspaper that an anonymous tip sent Nathan Thorn to jail. You know, that man that organizes the New York balls every year?" Cassidy questioned.

I nodded as she continued.

I wasn't pleased with where this conversation was headed. I didn't want to add any more people to the overgrowing chaos.

"I bumped into Austin at the mall and I told him about the weird news. He started acting really strange, so I forced him to tell me what was going on. I still can't believe what he told me!"

She was almost as overwhelmed by this news as I was.

I hoped that Austin hadn't spared all of the details.

Cassidy poured out a long story about everything that had happened between Nathan, Tiffany, Austin, my dad, and I.

My assumptions of Cassidy were defiantly incorrect. She wasn't as quiet and respectful as I had thought she was!

Also, Cassidy has definitely become a part of our problem. Yay for me!

**Author's Note: I will be starting a new story tomorrow. It's called: All Because of a Silly Game of Truth or Dare. Yes, it's an Austin & Ally story! I will still continue with this story, though. Please, be sure to check out my other story! **:)


	21. Stare

CHAPTER 21: Stare

Ally's Point of View

I didn't enjoy Cassidy's company as much as I had before.

According to me, her nosy and talkative personality wasn't loveable at all.

As everyone knows, I'm not the type that would carry along a conversation with someone I barely knew.

However; I wore a fake smile and spoke in a cheerful voice in order to mask what I truly felt inside. It had worked wonders when Tiffany had made cruel remarks about the house.

"You should leave soon, Cassidy." I used my gentlest and sweetest voice on her as she slipped on her jacket and shoes.

"You are going to tell Austin that I stopped by, right?" She gave me a smile, but she seemed to be staring me down with her eyes.

I shook off the strange stare and escorted Cassidy out of the house. I needed her to leave incase my dad wakes up and overhears our conversation.

"Of course I will." I promised to Cassidy as she stepped out of the door and disappeared into the night.

I locked the door and turned off the lights. Then, I placed the phone back in the kitchen and crept up the staircase.

The stare Cassidy had given me was unpleasant and odd.

But, I decided to ignore it and treated it like it was nothing.

I focused on the accomplishment I had made today; I had forced Cassidy out of the house without having to hear any complaints.

I had expected Cassidy to ask questions about Nathan and Tiffany. However; she hadn't asked me any questions about them at all!

Maybe, I had worried for nothing and Cassidy didn't care about Nathan's revenge.

I hoped that I had been correct.

Austin's Point of View

I sat with Ally at the food court. We were trying to figure out what we should tell the police.

"I think we should tell them the entire truth. The sooner we stop Nathan, the sooner we can put all of these bad memories behind us." Ally stated.

"And, the sooner we can have a proper first date." I smirked as Ally giggled.

"First date, you never told me you were dating! Since when did this happen?!" Cassidy came out of nowhere and began to shoot questions at Ally and me.

"It started a while ago. I guess when two people is this perfect for each other then, this is what they should do." I gazed at Ally and she blushed.

"How sweet," Cassidy took a seat at our table and gave me a bright smile.

She seemed to be eager to hear more about me and Ally's relationship. I took that as a compliment.

"We are pretty close, Cassidy. She loves me and I love her." I added. This made Ally blush more.

Cassidy leaned in close to Ally and smiled brighter. "Ally, you better take great care of Austin." Despite the smile, she gave Ally a very unfriendly stare.

Cassidy's stare made Ally curl up into a ball. She looked timid and fearful.

Suddenly, the sound of Cassidy's phone ringing off the hook caused us to jump.

"Relax, it's only a phone." Cassidy giggled as she held up her sparkly phone.

"I've got to take this. I'll be back." She leaped out of the chair and answered her phone.

Then, she walked into a nearby store and started to chat with the person on the other end of the phone.

"Austin, she knows about Nathan and Tiffany. She came over to my house yesterday and told me!" Ally blurted out before I could say anything to her.

"I told her. I couldn't focus! She asked me too many questions and begged me to tell her the truth." I admitted shamefully to Ally.

I knew that Ally didn't want anyone else to join in on our rescue mission.

"She doesn't have to become a part of it. We could convince her that it isn't that big of a deal." I suggested.

"You mean lie, Austin?" Ally gave me a tired look.

She wanted everyone to know the truth, not little white lies.

"No, I'll try to get her out of this." I promised as I glanced at Tiffany.

Now, how was I going to do that?


	22. Expulsion

CHAPTER 22: Expulsion

Austin's Point of View

I was frozen to the spot the second Cassidy returned to me and Ally's table at the food court.

"I'm back!" She announced in a sing-song type of voice.

She was wearing her naturally cheery smile same as she had before our conversation was interrupted by her phone call.

"Um, Cassidy…" I began in a nervous tone of voice.

"Yes. Austin," She gushed.

"I, uh…" I allowed my voice to trail away once again.

Ally tapped my shoulder and nodded at me. She opened her mouth to say something but, was drowned out by Cassidy's voice.

"What were you going to say, Austin?" Cassidy flashed a smile full of gleaming white teeth.

"You can't be a part of our problem, I'm sorry." I mumbled.

Cassidy gave me a confused look as if she still didn't understand what I was saying.

"Tiffany, Ally, Ally's dad, and I have our own problem and we don't want anyone else to be a part of it." I added, a bit harshly.

"You might end up getting hurt." Ally pointed out.

I rapidly nodded.

Ally was a life saver! She came up with that idea so fast!

I doubt Cassidy would want to be a part of our group now that she knew that she could end up being seriously injured.

"But Austin, I can help you out! I have a black belt in karate." Cassidy pleaded as she did some amazing karate moves.

I could see Ally roll her eyes and yawn from the corner of my eye.

I was beginning to regret kicking Cassidy out of our group. We needed a strong person with agility that could take down Nathan. And, she seemed to be the one.

"I can do back flips as well." Cassidy whispered into my ear and asked me to hoist her up onto my shoulders.

I took that as a tiny gesture. Surely, Ally wouldn't mind if I helped Cassidy practice her back flips, right?

I didn't want to put Cassidy in the situation. I just wanted to watch her do back flips.

I abandoned my chair and walked over to Cassidy. Ever so gently, I picked her up and placed her on my shoulders.

Ally curiously walked over to us without saying a word.

Cassidy leaped off of my shoulders and landed on her feet. Then, she prepared for her back flip.

She started off very well, but, she kicked Ally in the leg before she completed the back flip.

"I am so sorry, Ally! Are you alright?" Her voice remained expressionless.

"I'm fine." Ally squeaked as I offered her a chair.

She sat down and stared long and hard at her shoes. I could tell that something was up.

I leaned in closer to her so that Cassidy couldn't hear: "Are you sure, Ally?"

Ally's Point of View

To be completely honest with you, I wasn't sure at all.

I had expected Cassidy's expulsion to end in an ear-splitting diva tantrum.

Instead, she was trying to impress my boyfriend with her karate moves and back flips. This was beyond unacceptable!

However; I wasn't quite sure whether or not she was being friendly with him or flirting with him. It was difficult for me to tell.

Also, Austin was convinced easily.

If Cassidy managed to fight her way into our group, it would have been because of her strength and agility. Those are two things that Austin loves.

I decided to observe the two of them. If she becomes too close to Austin, I will unleash my wrath!

I suddenly felt furious with myself for thinking this way. I was beginning to sound like Cassidy!

I still wanted more than anything to treat them both fairly. Austin was allowed to talk with Cassidy, and Cassidy was allowed to practice martial arts and gymnastics routines with Austin.

I didn't want my exaggerations and petty feelings to keep them from having fun with each other.

As far as I was concerned, I could possibly be over exaggerating Cassidy and Austin's actions. They could most likely turn out to be nothing more than friends.

After thinking about this for quite some time, I finally answered Austin's question: "I am sure."

The signs of worry disappeared from Austin's face as I said these three simple words.

**Author's Note: What do you think? Does Cassidy want to be nothing more than Austin's friend, or does she want to be his girlfriend? PLEASE REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! :)**


	23. Jealousy

CHAPTER 23: Jealousy

Ally's Point of View

I listened to Austin and Cassidy's endless chatter and I watched them laugh until tears formed in their eyes.

Cassidy didn't bother to pay any attention to me at all. All she cared about was gaining Austin's attention.

Austin tried to place me into their conversations. However; Cassidy would treat me as if I was nothing more than a brick wall.

I conjured up a clever excuse to leave the table for a little while.

I would be able to escape from Cassidy with out starting a childish uproar. And, I would be able to allow Austin and Cassidy to continue their conversation.

"I'm going to grab a bite to eat. Do you want anything?" I asked politely.

"Could you get me one of those cheese burgers, please?" Austin asked.

"I'll have…" Cassidy scanned the food court until her eyes fell upon the longest line up I had ever seen.

The line went around the food court twice and ended at a popular smoothie bar near one of the potted plants.

It would take me forever to reach the front of the line!

To my dismay, Cassidy chose a berry smoothie. That meant that I had to stand in that ridiculously long line!

"I'll get one of those for you." I muttered to Cassidy.

Luckily, Austin could tell that I didn't want to wait in line for Cassidy.

"I'll get the smoothie, Ally." Austin offered graciously.

"Don't bother, Austin. I'm sure Ally is quite capable of getting the smoothie." Cassidy purred as she pulled Austin's chair close to her own.

Cassidy's motion made me wonder whether or not I should stay here and keep an eye on her.

I was pretty sure that friends didn't sit that close to one another.

I decided that my jealousy was causing me to think this way.

I was sure that Austin would never betray me for a delusional kiss-up, such as Cassidy. I placed all of my trust in him.

After all, trust was the framework of a healthy and strong relationship.

With these words in my head, I gathered money to pay for Austin's cheese burger.

The lineup to buy the burger went by very fast. I was at the front of the line in less than 2 minutes.

I glanced back at Austin and Cassidy as I paid for the cheese burger.

Austin looked as if he was enjoying himself. The smile on his face was the same one that he had worn during our date.

I couldn't stand to watch them any longer. I quickly collected the burger and thanked the cashier.

Then, I returned to the table.

"Thanks, Ally." Austin smiled as he took a massive bite out of the cheese burger.

I laughed at the ketchup and mayonnaise stained on his face.

My laughter turned into soft giggles once Cassidy stole the opportunity to wipe Austin's face with a napkin.

The simple action was done ever so carefully, and I thought that I could see a sparkle in Austin's eyes.

"I'm going to get the smoothie." I announced.

"Fine by me," Cassidy replied in a bitter tone of voice.

I gave Austin a sweet and meaningful look and copied Cassidy's flirtatious voice: "Don't miss me too much."

That's right, Cassidy! Two can play this game.

Austin laughed at this gesture. I could tell that he wasn't taking me seriously.

I went into the long lineup before Cassidy could give me one of her famous snappy retorts.

I stood in line for so long that my calves began to ache.

I knew that I was standing in line only for Cassidy's mere enjoyment. She couldn't care less about me and the berry smoothie.

Escaping was mandatory. However; it was difficult considering that Cassidy was watching me like a hawk.

She sat poised with her hands on the metal table and her eyes fixated on me.

The only time she looked away was when Austin told her a funny joke.

Their conversation was swallowed by the gossip coming from workers sitting at nearby tables.

I felt frightened and ashamed by my fear of Cassidy.

I felt that pleasing her would keep her from flirting with Austin. However; I have recently discovered that my theory was wrong.

I ventured through my tote bag until I found my dad's phone.

After I had told my dad that a man had forced me to give up my purse and phone, he had allowed me to borrow his old phone.

I checked the time on the old phone and realized that my lunch break was about to end!

I had to return to Sonic Boom!

I ran away from the line and returned to Cassidy and Austin.

"I have to head back to Sonic Boom, my lunch break is about to end!" I yelled.

I had never been late before, and I wasn't going to start now.

"I'll help!" Austin offered as he stepped beside me.

"No, you won't." Tiffany spoke in a voice so low that only I could hear her. She pulled Austin away from me.

"You need to stay here. I need someone to get me a smoothie!" Cassidy whined.

I glanced back at the phone. If I didn't head to Sonic Boom right now, I would be late!

I left Austin to deal with all of this Cassidy drama; I knew he would make the right decision.

Austin didn't come back to Sonic Boom for the rest of the day! I didn't receive a single phone call or text message from him!

I began to worry like crazy.

What if Nathan found him?! What if Cassidy is still with him?!

I left the store in my dad's capable hands and returned to the food court.

All of the shops were closed and the chairs were stacked up. The mall care taker had swept the litter and taken out the garbage.

It was quiet and peaceful too; the type of aura that you wouldn't expect when the shops in the food court are open.

I walked around the food court until I came across a shadow on the side of a closed shop.

I slowly walked towards the strange shadow.

The lights in the food court were turned off. So, I could barely see the figure in front of me.

I pulled my dad's phone out of my tote bag and held it towards the looming figure.

The light coming from the phone lit up the food court.

I could see the metal chairs and the shiny tables. I could see the bright signs on the closed shops.

And, I could see the figure that was creating the shadow.

It wasn't any normal figure.

It was Austin…and he was kissing Cassidy!

**Author's Note: I have recently been out of sorts, so, I haven't felt like writing lately. I offer my sincere apologies for the late update and any inconvience this may have caused. **

**I also have a few discussion questions for you to answer:**

**1. Do you think Cassidy will ever change? (Would she change for the better or the worse)**

** is Cassidy's back story? (How did she become so mean)**

** would you do if you were Ally? (What you think Ally should do next)**

**If you would like you could create mini answers to the questions and put them in YouTube Format.**

**Ex: Ally: blah, blah, blah**

** Trish: blah,blah,blah**

**It's sort of like writing mini stories as a script. You don't have to do this, I just thought it was a unique and fun task. And, feel free to PM or review any questions you have about this task.**

**If you choose to do this, please send these little stories through PM. Thank you! :)**

**And, remember to...REVIEW,REVIEW,REVIEW!**


	24. Furious

CHAPTER 24: Furious

Ally's Point of View

The second I had laid my eyes on Austin and Cassidy my heart had broken into a million pieces.

My mouth had fallen open in complete and utter shock and I was too paralyzed to move.

The look of desperation and regret in Austin's eyes didn't influence my decision at all.

All I did was cry.

My trust in Austin was long gone and so was my dignity.

I began to run as far as my legs could take me.

I didn't care to look back for even a second.

The sound of Austin calling my name echoed through my ears.

I came to a sudden halt, only to wipe my tears.

I heard footsteps on the ground and furious voices erupting from behind me. I knew better than to become a part of Austin and Cassidy's squabble.

I continued to weep and wail. I was frustrated and full of sorrow and pain.

Suddenly, a large hand reached out to wipe a tear that was rolling down my cheek.

"I never wanted to hurt you. Ally, I am so sorry." Austin apologized.

He was only an inch away from my face.

I batted his hand away and took a few steps back.

"Well, you did hurt me, Austin!" I yelled in outrage. I wasn't planning to hide away my anger and fury from him.

"I can't believe you would do something so awful and demeaning." I pressed as I wiped away my last tear.

I didn't care what thoughts were running through Austin's mind right now. And, I didn't care what Cassidy thought of the situation. All I cared about was returning home.

"I didn't mean to!" Austin pleaded for my forgiveness.

The tears began to fall harder and my hair began to stick to my face. However; I didn't care much for my presentation at this moment.

"You kissed Cassidy! I saw it with my own two eyes!" I motioned towards the place where I had witnessed their public display of affection.

I noticed that Cassidy was no where to be seen. She most likely had left in outrage after the argument that had unfolded minutes before.

I began to walk away once again. I needed a shoulder to cry on, not Austin's relentless apology.

Austin placed a hand on my shoulder and turned me around to face him.

"Listen to me, Ally." He pleaded. His voice was soft and caring.

I turned my head away from his. He didn't deserve my attention!

Austin placed his other hand under my chin and moved my head to the side.

"Please, listen to me." He begged.

I looked at his face for only a second.

He was using his puppy dog face on me! How dare he think that I would stoop that low! His simple facial expression would never force me to forgive him!

I pulled myself out of his grasp and he reluctantly let go of me.

I crossed my arms and waited for Austin's next big excuse.

"I didn't kiss her, she kissed me." Austin defended.

"Oh sure, she kissed you!" I replied in a sarcastic tone.

"It is true." Austin was at a loss for words.

This was my chance to escape. I wanted nothing more than to flee.

"Even if that was true, you could have tried to stop her!" I yelled before turning around.

"I tried." Austin offered.

I turned around very slowly. This argument was getting interesting!

"You tried! All you have to say for yourself is that you tried?!" I yelled.

"What do you want me to say, Ally? I was fighting for you and I was protecting you? I was acting like one of those famous heroes in the comic books?" Austin was beginning to turn red with anger.

"You could have a least cared about my feelings!" I screeched as I began to walk off in the direction of Sonic Boom.

I didn't care that I sounded like a spoiled brat. I needed Austin to see that my feelings mattered too.

"Fine then, Ally! Leave, see if I care!" He screamed.

He was finally allowing me to leave!

I was too furious and upset to shout back at him.

I ran straight to Sonic Boom, pleading that I never had to speak to Austin ever again.


	25. Advice

CHAPTER 25: Advice

Ally's Point of View

I ran all the way to Sonic Boom without looking back.

My heart was racing faster than the wind and my tears had caused my mascara to run. My hair was a mess of tangles and I was running out of breath.

I rushed into Sonic Boom sobbing and shaking from the dramatic trauma that had happened moments before.

"Ally, what happened?" My dad asked as he rushed to my side.

Normally, my dad would be my last choice for a heart-to-heart talk. However; Trish wasn't anywhere in sight and it was too late to phone her.

And, my mom was…it hurt too much to continue.

My dad told me to take a seat on the couch near the front of the store, while he brought me a box of tissues.

I did as I was told and took a seat. I lay one of the small red pillows on my lap and began to sob harder.

My dad gave me the box of tissues and sat beside me. He put an arm around my shoulder and gave me a comforting hug.

"Tell me what happened, Ally." He commanded.

I grabbed a tissue from the tissue box and wiped the tears that were sliding down my cheeks.

"Austin cheated on me." I sobbed as I began to tear the tissue into pieces.

"No honey, don't cry." My dad said as he gave me another tissue.

"How could I have been so oblivious!?" I yelled as I got up from the couch.

"Don't blame yourself, it was Austin's mistake." My dad reassured me as he gave me another hug.

"It was my fault, too." I whispered as I took a long and deep breath.

"I thought that I was doing a good thing! I thought that letting Cassidy and Austin spend time with each other was the right thing to do!" I exclaimed.

"But," I sat back down before continuing.

"I guess I was wrong." I said softy as I finally stopped crying.

"You never expected that this would turn on you." My dad pointed out.

"But, I did. I ignored the signs." I sniffled.

My dad opened his mouth to speak however; I interrupted him.

I had a need to express everything that was on my mind during heart-to-heart conversations. And, this need had to be fulfilled.

"Cassidy kept flirting with Austin and I ignored it. I didn't want to seem like one of those over protective girlfriends that won't allow her boyfriend to breathe. So, I decided to allow them to hang out with each other." I explained as I blew my nose into the tissue.

"It wasn't my intention to create any harm." I agreed with what my dad had said.

"See?" My dad exclaimed in triumph as he struck a pose.

He was glad that he could find common ground with me. However; I still had more to say.

"But, I still should have said something. Especially, when I caught them kissing one another." I pointed out as I stood up once again.

Austin had told me that Cassidy had been the one to kiss him. However; I wasn't quite sure that I had all of the facts straight.

"I can't argue with you there." My dad shrugged.

"I should have put an end to all of this. I had a chance to do that!" I mopped as I paced the floor.

"It was Austin's fault to. He should have put an end to it as well." I said.

"I just don't know what to do. What should I say?" I questioned.

My dad gulped. He always did that whenever he didn't know what to say.

I knew that comforting me and dealing with problems like this wasn't his style.

However; I was glad that I had given him a shot. He was being a very compassionate listener.

Trish would have given me pretty cheesy advice.

My mom would have done a better job at giving me advice, though.

We always used to sit on the couch at home and talk.

My mom knew how to deal with everything. From little fights to scabbed knees.

She was the ultimate care taker.

Now, she was gone. And, there was no force on earth that could bring her back.

Tears welled in my eyes once more. The readable expression on my face told my dad exactly what was on my mind.

I knelt down on the floor and my dad handed me a few more tissues.

"Are you thinking about your mom?" He asked.

"Yeah." I answered.

"Well, what do you think she would tell you in a situation like this?" My dad challenged.

"She would…" Suddenly, I realized what the perfect solution was.

**Author's Note: What do you think Ally will do? R & R**


	26. Obvious

CHAPTER 26: Obvious

Ally's Point of View

My dad and I had spent hours preparing for my studious and hopefully effective plan.

We had made numerous trips to the grocery store to collect all of the food that we needed.

And, I had spent hours icing lemon meringue tarts and cooking my mom's famous secret recipe lasagna.

My dad had supplied me with napkins and cutlery, and an old blanket, and he had fetched my mom's old handmade picnic basket from the attic.

By the time we were finished preparing for the picnic, it was almost lunch time.

My dad drove me to Austin's house after we had cleaned up the mess leftover from preparing the picnic.

With the picnic basket and the old blanket in hand, I ran out of the car and thanked my dad for the ride.

Then, I climbed the steps leading to the Moon's household and nervously rang the doorbell.

Within seconds, Austin answered the door.

He was surprised and a bit shocked to see me standing in the doorway.

I put on a grin and presented Austin with the picnic basket and blanket.

Hopefully, my picnic lunch will help to mend the gap between us.

"Hi, Austin! I'm going on a picnic, and I thought that it would be best if you came with me." I began.

Austin gave me a confused look.

"It would give us a chance to fix things." I added.

Austin responded quite quickly: "I don't know, Ally."

"Please." I begged him.

Austin shook his head and tried to close the door on me.

How rude! This moment made me wish that I had never met him!

But, at the same time, it made me realize how much he was hurt and broken on the inside.

Just as the door was about to crush my bones, Austin's mother arrived.

"Austin Monica Moon! Is that anyway to treat your peers?!" Mrs. Moon scolded.

I noted Mrs. Moon's word choice. It was very clear that Austin had told his parents about our argument.

"No," Austin groaned in a childish voice as he opened the door.

He walked into another room and disappeared down a long corridor.

"I apologize for his behavior, Ally." Mrs. Moon sighed in embarrassment.

"It's alright. I know why Austin is acting this way." I sighed.

"I really want you two to make up. You always made Austin so happy. He would go on and on about you all the time. And, I had never seen him smile so much." Mrs. Moon ranted.

My cheeks flushed pink as Mrs. Moon told me this. I had never been loved this much by anyone. I couldn't believe that Austin had ever acted this way.

"It's obvious that he loves you, Ally. Even at this very moment, he must be thinking about you." Mrs. Moon replied soothingly as she held my hands and looked me in the eyes.

"He's just hurt a bit." She added softly as Austin emerged from the corridor.

"Austin, I want you to come over here this instant!" Mrs. Moon called.

Austin trudged toward us without a care in the world.

"What is it, mom!?" He rolled his eyes and tried to match her tone of voice.

Mrs. Moon gave another sigh and looked Austin directly into the eyes.

"Go on this picnic with Ally." She directed.

Austin complained for a little while until Mrs. Moon convinced him to leave. He only left because, his mother had promised to double his allowance.

This was a whole new side of Austin that I was experiencing.

It made me miss the old Austin.

The old Austin was carefree and fun loving. He didn't complain or whine at all.

But, the new Austin still had the same old deep brown eyes, the kind of eyes that you could easily get lost in.

He even had the same old dazzling smile, the kind of smile that is infectious and hard to escape from.

And, don't forget about Austin's bright blond hair that catches the sunlight and always looks perfect.

I found myself day dreaming about all of the qualities of Austin that I had fallen hopelessly in love with.

I finally came to a stop once I remembered that I wasn't alone in the room.

I nervously laughed. I had made it obvious that I had been day dreaming about Austin. There was no escaping it now.

Austin gave me a cold glare which immediately caused me to put an end to my laughter.

He obviously hated me now that I had argued with him and threatened our relationship.

"Are you ready to go to the park?" Mrs. Moon asked once we had all put on our shoes.

We nodded as Mrs. Moon put on the alarm and opened the door. She obviously was trying to avoid Austin's attitude.

We filed into the car one-by-one. Mrs. Moon locked the door of the house and followed behind us.

Once all of our seatbelts were buckled, Mrs. Moon checked her reflection in the rearview mirror. She fluffed her hair and reapplied her lipstick before starting the car.

She backed out of the driveway with ease and began to drive us towards the park.


	27. Isolated

CHAPTER 27: Isolated

Austin's Point of View

I felt as if I was a puppet attached to strings.

Every time I begged for my mom to drive us home, she would give me the sweetest puppy eyes that would force me to agree with her.

I felt isolated. I wasn't receiving much attention because of my behavior.

My mom told me that Ally most likely felt worse than I did.

"You should treat her with a little more respect. All she wants is to fix your relationship. She probably spent an extremely long time creating that picnic for you."

My mom ranted about Ally for a little while longer. I did the smart thing by tuning her out.

"Ally, dear? How long did you spend making that picnic?" She spoke in a sugary sweet voice, the kind that she uses when she is trying to make a point.

"I spent almost the entire morning, Mrs. Moon. It took a lot of hard work." Ally replied in a kind tone of voice.

I mimicked Ally's kiss-up attitude when no one was looking.

I wanted to keep going, but, the sound of my mom complimenting Ally made me too sick to continue.

Great job, Ally! Note my sarcasm.

My mom was a huge sucker for hard work, there was no way that my mom was going to stop gushing over Ally.

I hated the endless row of phrase my mom awarded Ally with.

Ally didn't even deserve it!

She had broken my heart and destroyed the love that I felt for her.

I sank down low in my car seat and covered my ears.

Even after I did that, no one noticed me!

My feelings mattered too; I wanted my mom to see that. I wanted her to drive me home!

As hard as I tried, I couldn't convince them to listen to me.

I still felt isolated.

Ally's Point of View

I wanted a chance to really hear what Austin had to say. I could tell by his actions that this was going to be very tricky.

All he wanted was to return home! He didn't care how much effort I was putting into saving our relationship!

Even though I wanted to quit, I cared too much for Austin to let our relationship fall through the grass.

I had to try. Even if it was going to be difficult, I had to try.

Mrs. Moon pulled into the parking lot of the famous SandyPalmsPark.

There were hundreds of acres of wide open grass and sand as well. There were palm trees spread out throughout the park.

And, children were chatting and creating little sandcastles in the sand. Adults lounged on beach chairs reading books or tanning while they listened to music.

Teenagers played volley ball on the beach and elderly couples walked their dogs on the lawn.

It was a perfect and glorious day for a festive and yummy picnic; I needed Austin to realize that as well.

Mrs. Moon unlocked the car doors and Austin and I exited the car.

She began to roll the windows down.

"I'm off to meet your dad at Moon's MattressKingdom!" She alerted Austin.

"Do not forget to call my cell phone when you need me to pick you up." Mrs. Moon spoke in a stern tone in order to let Austin know that she was serious.

"I won't forget, mom." Austin gave an exasperated sigh as his mom kissed him on the head.

"Love you, sweetie." She grinned at her son.

"Mom," Austin groaned as he dodged a flying kiss that his mom had recently blown to him.

Mrs. Moon gave Austin a warning look as she pulled out of the parking lot.

We exchanged a good-bye or two before making our decent towards a shady spot under a palm tree.

Austin lingered a few steps behind me. He seemed occupied by the thoughts that were in his mind.

"Austin, are you coming?" I asked sweetly.

I needed to be patient around him and consider his feelings.

Austin mumbled something under his breath.

"What?" I questioned.

"I said that I was coming!" Austin came up behind me and screamed in my ears.

I tried not to allow my frustration to show as we sat down under the palm tree.

I ended up setting up the picnic alone, while Austin watched the people playing volley ball in the sand.

I was kneeling on the blanket and he was sitting very far away from me with his knees tucked against his chest.

I could tell by the hurt look in his eyes that he was feeling isolated. This caused me to bite my lower lip.

Suddenly, a soft breeze blew by and pushed Austin's bangs into his eyes.

I drew my attention towards the picnic.

I knew that pulling the bangs out of Austin's eyes would be the last thing he would want me to do. However; I couldn't help but stare at him.

"What is it Ally?" He spoke in an exhausted tone of voice.

"Oh, it's just…" I was about to tell him what I wanted to do. However; I decided that would throw him a little further off the edge.

"Nothing, just forget that I ever said anything." I sighed.

"Oh, I'm trying." Austin narrowed his eyes at me and I quickly looked down at my toes.

"Lunch is ready." I muttered.

Austin devoured the lunch quicker than any human being I have ever eaten with.

He didn't bother to phrase my delicious tarts or succulent appetizers. However; I could tell by the look in his eyes that he had really enjoyed them.

I was only half-way finished with my meal. I was taking it surely and slowly, like always.

I started to realize that Austin was beginning to feel bored.

We hadn't spoken since I had announced that lunch was served.

I decided that this was the moment to really unveil the old Austin Monica Moon.


End file.
